Make your ideas happen 2022/23

The University of Brighton’s annual ideas competition, generously sponsored by Santander Universities, is your chance to tell us about your creative ideas for new products,  freelance services, digital solutions, or community projects.

Every year, the University of Brighton’s beepurple startup team hosts this exciting competition to find out about all the amazing ideas our students have!

Competition winners not only receive cash prizes – between £250 and £1000 – but also receive support from the beepurple startup team to make their ideas happen over the coming months.

In previous years, the competition winners have had ideas for a sustainable swimming robe, a drawing tool for disabled artists, a global letter-exchange programme for young people, woven products made from recycled dog hair, and a chatbot for universities to use during the clearing process.

Deadline for entries

So, if you are a University of Brighton student or a recent graduate (from the Class of 2022), make sure you submit your ideas for new products, services, digital solutions, or community projects before Friday, 17 February 2023.

How to apply

The application process is really straightforward, and you don’t need a business plan or any startup experience. To enter the competition, you will need to complete the Competition Entry Form (see below).

Our top tips for a writing a strong application are:

• Write a concise description of your products and services, and make sure you highlight the benefits of your product/service/digital solution/community project to your target audience. (Respect the word count limit, and choose your words carefully. Get to the point quickly).
• Know who your target customers are. What are their needs, and how will your product/service/community project meet those needs?
• List your closest competitors and be really clear on how you differentiate from them,  your usp (There is nothing wrong with having competitors. You just need to know who they are and how you differentiate from them).
• Tell us exactly how you would spend the £1000 prize money. (The judges always like to see how the funding would impact on you, if you were to win the competition).

Remember, this is an ideas competition rather than a business plan competition. So, don’t feel you need to have a really polished idea! Just write your idea down, and submit it online before the deadline. 

The six questions you need to answer

To enter the competition, answer the six guestions   in our  Ideas Competition Entry Form and email your completed competition application to beepurple@brighton.ac.uk by Friday, 17 February 2023 at 5pm, with the subject line, ‘Entry Form for the Ideas Competition’. Please read the Ideas Competition Terms and Conditions  document to learn more about the judging criteria and the competition process.

We can’t wait to hear your amazing ideas!